Seidlitz Powders. Labeled full weight, 10 in a box. Blue papers averaged to be 15 grains each short in weight, and the white papers 7 grains each short in weight. "The popular kind," "the kind that effervesces well." Sample 1, the blue papers, contained 50 per cent. of rochelle salt and 50 per cent. of bicarbonate of sodium, instead of 75 per cent. and 25 per cent., as the Pharmacopoeia demands. Sample 2 contained 60 per cent. rochelle salt and 40 per cent. of bicarbonate of sodium. E. L. Patch. 28 per cent. ash, mostly kaolin or other clay. E. L. Patch. Powd. Castile Soap. 3 per cent. of moisture, free from animal fats and metals, 7.2 per cent. insoluble in alcohol, no excess of alkali. Fine product. No. 2. 54 per cent. insoluble in alcohol, 34 per cent. is talc. No. 3. 30 per cent. insoluble in alcohol, 20 per cent. is talc. E. L. Patch. Sodium Bromide. 97 per cent., 97.1 per cent., 98.8 per cent. E. H. Gane. Sodium Carbonate. Contained 0.32 per cent. of chloride. Dried, 0.17 per cent. chloride. Anhydrous, assayed 98.5 per cent. Sodium Carbonate, Monohydrated. E. L. Patch. Slight trace of iron, assayed 98.31 per cent. E. L. Patch. Sodium Glycerophosphate. Sometimes is alkaline; sometimes is acid. Varies from 0.175 per cent. NaOH to 1.4 per cent. H,PO,. E. L. Patch. Sodium Hypophosphite, Purified. Lot 1. 0.71 per cent. free NaOH. Lot 2. 0.029 per cent. free NaOH. E. L. Patch. Sodium Nitrate. Contains chlorate, leading astray when the sodium nitrate is used to burn off organic matter in estimation of chlorine. Merck's Report. E. L. Patch. Sodium Phosphate, Purified Granular. Several barrels all stood the U. S. P. arsenic test; contained a slight trace of sulphate. Dried sodium phosphate stood tests of chemical purity, but did not dissolve with a clean solution. E. L. Patch. Sodium Sulphite, Dried. No. 1. 100 parts represented 157 of crystallized salt. No. 2. 100 parts represented 146 of crystallized salt. No. 3. 100 parts represented 167 of crystallized salt. No. 4. 100 parts represented 137 of crystallized salt. These represented four different makes. The probability is that different lots from the same maker would vary in the same way. All contained an excess of sulphate. E. L. Patch. Sodium Sulphocarbolate. Sample decidedly pinkish instead of white. E. L. Patch. Solution of Cresol. 80 per cent. contain carbolic acid crude instead of cresol. Spermaceti. 3 samples had melting-point 42.5° centigrade, 43.5°, 44°. R. Schumacher. I gram with I gram of anhydrous sodium carbonate, 50 Cc. of alcohol, boiled, cooled, filtered, acetic acid added, gave precipitation in every case. E. L. Patch. Stramonium. 9 lots averaged to assay 0.458 per cent., only one below the standard of 0.35 per cent. C. E. Vanderkleed. Tablets. Claim: pepsin, pancreatin, diastase, lactic acid, hydrochloric acid, goldenseal, subnitrate of bismuth, ginger, nux vomica. Appeared to be over one-half talc; neutral; no free lactic or hydrochloric acids; bismuth in very minute quantity; no alkaloids present; no goldenseal or nux vomica. No. 2. Claim: ammonium chloride 1 gr., powd. cubeb 1⁄2 gr., wildcherry11⁄2 gr., terpin hydrate 11⁄2 grs., sugar and licorice q. s. Contained ammonium chloride 1⁄2 gr., powd. cubeb 4 gr., wild cherry 4 gr., terpin hydrate 1⁄2 gr. E. L. Patch. Tartar Emetic. Lots from 2 different manufacturers contained an excess of arsenic. E. L. Patch. Terebene. 3 lots gave a colored residue ranging from 0.111 to 0.150 from 10 Cc. E. L. Patch. Thymol Iodide. One lot contained soluble iodide and trace of free iodine. E. L. Patch. Vanilla Extract. 125 samples examined. Many artificially colored. 7 pure but inferior in strength; 3 had vanillin added to vanilla; 5 were made from tonca only; 16 mixtures of tonca and vanilla; 14 vanillin and coumarin; one coumarin only; one contained oil of bitter almond. Report of Ill. Food Com. 35 samples examined. Dak. Report. Vanilla Beans, Whole. I inferior; 6 vanillin and coumarin; one coumarin only. No. Have been marketed with the central pulpy portion pressed out. H. Kraemer. White Wax. 6 samples examined. 2 pure; 3 had some paraffin; one much paraffin. Pa. Ph. Assoc. Yellow Wax. Many samples adulterated, contained as high as 85 per cent. or 90 per cent. of paraffin. Pa. Ph. Assoc. 212 grams of yellow wax with 121⁄2 Cc. of sulphuric acid, heated for 15 minutes at 160° centigrade, poured into an excess of water, did not separate any particles on the surface. Precipitate washed with water to free from acid, with alcohol to free from water; washed with chloroform, gave a considerable waxy residue. 2 subsequent treatments following the same method, reduced this residue to o.1. Saponification number of the same sample was 94.3. E. L. Patch. Whiskey. Contains sugar and artificial coloring. Mass. Board of Health. Zinc Oxide. English samples were in fine powder, free from grit, slight yellowish tint, no arsenic, lead, copper, etc., no alkali, no sulphate; slight trace of chloride and iron. American samples average 99.05 per cent. ZnO. Contained trace of iron and chloride. E. L. Patch. Arsenic is frequently present. J. M. Francis. Zine Phosphide. Sample 1. 36 per cent. insoluble in hydrochloric acid. Sample 2. Notable quantity insoluble in hydrochloric acid. Contained iron. E. L. Patch. Zingiber. Refuse from percolation sold for ground ginger. H. H. Rusby. SUPPLEMENTARY Report from LYMAN F. Kebler, Drug LABORATORY, Citric Acid, C. P. (Received too late to be included in preceding table.) Contained metallic lead and a trace of sulphate. Hydrochloric Acid, C. P. Contained a considerable quantity of fibrous matter. The non-volatile matter on the steam-bath in 50 Cc. amounted to 9.2 milligrams. Approximately two-thirds of this residue consisted of ferric chloride. Hydrochloric Acid, C. P. Contained free chlorine and 8.6 milligrams of non-volatile matter in 50 Cc. when evaporated on the steam-bath. Hydrochloric Acid, C. P. Labeled free from arsenic. Examination, however, showed that the acid did contain arsenic. Carbolic Acid, Pure Crystals. Physical appearance brownish-black; an extremely poor quality. Phosphoric Acid, U. S. P. Contaminated with silicious matter. Phosphoric Acid, U. S. P. Contaminated with iron. Sulphuric Acid, C. P. Extremely dark in color, due to action of acid on luting employed in closing packages. Tannic Acid, U. S. P. The samples examined have been, with one exception, extremely poor in quality in nearly all cases, and a considerable amount was insoluble in water, and there was also much gummy matter present. Ammonium Acetate, C. P. Highly contaminated with pyridine bodies. Ammonium Hydroxide, C. P. Contained sodium and pyridine, and titrated much lower than indicated by label. Animal Charcoal, U. S. P., Purified. Contained 78.44 per cent, of moisture. Borax, U. S. P. Produced an extremely dirty, turbid solution, when dissolved in water. Calcium Oxide, C. P. The two samples examined were very dark in color, contained iron, aluminum, sand, sulphates and chloride. Virtually, no better than ordinary lime employed for building purposes. Calcium Carbonate, C. P. Coarse, heavy powder, containing sulphates, chlorides, and a compound of sodium. Cochineal. Best quality, contained approximately 15 per cent. of talcum, and possessed a tinctorial value equivalent to only 75. Copper Sulphate, C. P., Strictly Iron-Free. Contained iron in appreciable quantities. Glycerin. Fifteen samples have been tested. All of these complied with the U. S. P. requirements excepting the volatile fatty-acid test. Only three of these were free from this impurity. It is of interest to note that none of the glycerins tested contained an excess of arsenic and in several cases they were virtually free from this impurity. Magnesium Chloride, C. P. An aqueous solution left an insoluble gelatinous residue. Potassium Oxalate, C. P. Contained a considerable amount of insoluble material. Rochelle Salt, U. S. P. The chief impurities of this chemical during the past year have been dirt and metallic lead. Sodium Bisulphate, C. P. Contained only 80.93 per cent. of sodium bisulphate. Sodium Carbonate, C. P., Anhydrous. Contained silicious matter and 12.2 per cent. of moisture. Sodium Carbonate, C. P., Anhydrous. Contained dirt, silicious matter and 8.53 per cent. of moisture. Sodium Phosphate, C. P. Contained dirt and an excess of arsenic. Sulphur, Precipitated. Contained 47.9 per cent. of calcium sulphate, the calcium sulphate being calculated on the anhydrous basis. Mr. Lemberger moved to receive and refer for publication, and the Chair called for discussion. Mr. Kebler stated that he had refused to sign the report for several reasons. One reason was that the report criticised the attitude of the Department of Agriculture toward the new Pure Food and Drug Law, and it was not customary for a man to sign his own death-warrant. The objectionable clause, which he said reflected on every man in Washington having anything to do with the interpretation of the law, was the one asking that means be adopted to prevent injustice to the pharmacist through thoughtless, arbitrary or finical interpretation of the law, etc. He disclaimed the idea that Mr. Patch meant this as a reflection, but it nevertheless appeared so to him. Mr. Kebler also objected to Mr. Patch's remarks. on the variation of alcoholic strength in finished preparations. He said this was a matter he had given considerable attention to in the past few years, and he realized the difficulties. His desire was to make the operation of the law fair, equal and just. The intention of his department, he said, was by experimentation to establish standards for these preparations, and thereby arrive at a fair and just conclusion in regard to them. Another thing in the report he took exception to, though it was not a vital matter, was the statement that "adulteration with intent, is quite rare." He said that out of 3824 samples of drugs examined, good, bad and indifferent, 125 had been found to be adulterated beyond the possibility of question, and he so advised Mr. Patch, and he did not consider this proportion of about three per cent. as "quite rare." In regard to the methods of assay discussed in the report, he called attention to the fact that there there was a marked variation in assays of the same product made by differ ent chemists the country over, and there was no use in quibbling over it or trying to conceal it. But it was these same chemists, nevertheless, whose co-operation the Department of Agriculture desired in arriving at fair and just standards. Mr. Hallberg thought Mr. Kebler should remember that he came here as a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, and should temporarily lose sight of the fact of his official connection with the Drug Laboratory at Washington. He did not regard the expressions contained in the report as any serious reflection upon the powers called upon to interpret the law. He was of opinion that anyone who had read the provisions of section 7 of the law would realize that the "hand of the vandal had been placed upon the titles of the Pharmacopoeia," and that the bill itself disclosed the density of ignorance of the members of Congress on questions of this kind. In his judgment the law required the most careful interpretation in order to protect the pharmacists of the country against great injury and injustice. The act was not specific enough in its terms, and it required the most carefully prepared rules for its proper enforcement by the Department of Agriculture; he thought the least this Association could do was to call attention to this fact in no uncertain way. It should be demanded that the rules and regulations adopted should conform to pharmaceutical practice. Mr. Kebler said he did not ask that the clause referred to in the report be stricken out, but simply said he could not sign the report in that shape. He also said that the section criticised by Mr. Hallberg made full provision to cover the situation. Mr. A. B. Lyons thought the Chief of the Drug Laboratory altogether too thin-skinned, as he did not think the wording of the report reflected upon anybody at all. There is always a great deal of disposition on the part of officials to stick to the letter of the law in enforcing it, and it is wise to make provision to guard against this disposition as far as possible. Nominations for officers of the Section on Scientific Papers for the ensuing year were called for as the next order of business. Mr. Hynson nominated Mr. Reid Hunt of the Public Health Service at Washington for Chairman, and the motion was seconded by Mr. Francis, of Detroit. Mr. Hallberg nominated Mr. H. M. Gordin, of Chicago, for Secretary, and the motion was seconded by Mr. Sayre and Mr. Lloyd, but Mr. Gordin said it was utterly impossible for him to serve, as he could not give the time to it. Mr. M. I. Wilbert, of Philadelphia, was then nominated for Secretary by Mr. F. B. Hays, but he also peremptorily declined for the lack of time to give to the work. Thereupon, Mr. Puckner nominated Mr. Virgil Coblentz, of New York City, and paid the gentleman a graceful compliment upon his work in and for the Section. Mr. Coblentz also was |